Instrument Error

Policy

Privacy policy

Effective 20 September 2026

1. Who we are

Instrument Error is a YouTube channel, youtube.com/@instrumenterror (channel ID UCPGHX0P74zWrb3nXNOTDNOw), that makes short videos on human psychology, behaviour and the brain.

The channel, this website (instrumenterror.com) and the Instrument Error app are run by Charbel Aoun (“we”, “us”). You can reach us at charbelaoun2004@gmail.com.

This policy covers the website and the app. Watching our videos on YouTube is covered by YouTube's own terms and by the Google Privacy Policy, both linked in section 3.

2. This website

instrumenterror.com is a small set of static pages. The pages themselves do not ask for, collect or store information about you.

The site is hosted by GitHub Pages (GitHub, Inc.). The host may keep standard server logs, such as the IP address, browser type, page requested and time of each request, to run and protect its service. Those logs are covered by the privacy policy of GitHub Pages (GitHub, Inc.).

Links to YouTube and to research papers take you to other websites, which have their own privacy policies.

3. The Instrument Error app and YouTube API Services

The Instrument Error app uses YouTube API Services.

The app is the channel's own production tool. It runs only on our own computer, it is used only by us, and it is not offered to the public. Nobody else signs in to it.

Because the app uses YouTube API Services, its use is subject to the YouTube Terms of Service (https://www.youtube.com/t/terms). How Google itself handles data is described in the Google Privacy Policy (http://www.google.com/policies/privacy).

How rules written for public apps apply to a one-person tool

The YouTube API Services Developer Policies are written for apps that members of the public sign in to. Some of their requirements, such as accepting a privacy policy before first use or asking an app to delete your stored data, assume users other than the developer. This app has no such users, so the sections below say how each requirement applies to it instead of describing features that do not exist.

For example, there is no sign-up screen. The app's only user is us, and this policy is published at a fixed address that is linked from every page of this website.

4. What the app accesses

The app holds two read-only permissions (OAuth scopes) and uses them for our own channel only:

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube.readonly
Reads the channel's video details and public statistics: view, like and comment counts.
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/yt-analytics.readonly
Reads YouTube Analytics reports for the channel, for example engaged views, average percentage viewed and subscribers gained.

The app collects no data about viewers or about any other Google user. It does not hold the upload permission (youtube.upload) or any other permission that could change anything on YouTube.

5. How the data is used

The app uses what it reads for one purpose: to judge which of the channel's videos work. The data is not used for advertising or for any other purpose.

6. Storage and security

7. Sharing

Nothing the app reads is sold, shared or used for advertising. It is not shown to anyone but us, and no third party serves content or advertisements through the app or this website.

To run the channel we use an AI assistant service, Claude by Anthropic. The channel figures the app reads (such as view counts and watch time for our own videos) may be processed by that service when it prepares our reports. They are not sold, not used for advertising, and not passed to anyone else.

8. Keeping, deleting and revoking access

How long data is kept

The sign-in token is kept only while the app needs it to read the channel. Channel data is kept only for as long as it is needed to judge which videos work.

Deleting stored data

Our normal procedure is to delete the stored token and the local channel data once they are no longer needed. Because the app's only user is us, there is no delete button: we delete the data ourselves. If you believe the app holds data about you, email charbelaoun2004@gmail.com and we will delete it as soon as possible and within 7 days.

Deleting data stored by the app does not affect anything stored by YouTube. To delete data on YouTube itself, use YouTube (for example, YouTube Studio) or another authorised app that can delete it.

Revoking access

In addition to that procedure, access can be revoked at any time on the Google security settings page, https://security.google.com/settings/security/permissions, which opens the permissions page of a Google Account (myaccount.google.com/permissions). Once access is revoked, the app can no longer read the channel, and we delete the data it stored under that permission as soon as possible and within 30 days.

9. Google API Services User Data Policy

The Instrument Error app's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. Our use of that information is limited to the practices described in this policy.

10. Children

This website collects no personal information from anyone, children included, apart from the host's standard server logs described in section 2. The app is used only by us.

11. Changes to this policy

If the app ever needs a new permission, such as uploading videos, or would use data in a way this policy does not describe, we will update this policy first, before the new permission is requested or the new use begins. The effective date at the top of this page shows when the policy last changed.

12. Contact

Questions or complaints about this policy or about the app's privacy practices: charbelaoun2004@gmail.com.